An FIR registered against more than 90 Madhya Pradesh police personnel, including two former station house officers, over an allegedly fabricated drug seizure has ignited a sharp political confrontation in the state, with the opposition Indian National Congress (Congress) accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of enabling narcotics networks and shielding corrupt officials.

The Raid That Unravelled

The controversy traces back to 28 January this year, when a team from Agar Malwa police conducted an operation in Ghatakhedi village of Jhalawar district, Rajasthan — a border area adjoining Madhya Pradesh. Authorities at the time claimed to have dismantled an MD drug manufacturing unit and seized narcotics, chemicals, and machinery valued at approximately ₹5 crore. Two individuals were arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and the operation was publicly projected as a significant win in the state's anti-drug campaign.

However, the narrative began to fracture when family members of the accused and a local resident, Hamid Khan, filed a complaint before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Chaumahla, alleging the raid was fabricated and that legal procedures had been violated. They also claimed that a large police contingent had forcibly taken several family members away from the village during the operation.

Court Orders Inquiry, FIR Follows

The court directed an inquiry by the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Jhalawar. After reviewing the inquiry report and evidence on record, the court found prima facie grounds for a criminal case and ordered Rajasthan Police to register an FIR. In compliance, Dag police station in Jhalawar district booked former Agar Kotwali SHOs Shashi Upadhyay and Roop Singh Rajput, police personnel Rakhi Gurjar, three other named individuals, and nearly 90 unidentified police personnel.

Charges have been filed under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), covering intimidation, abuse of official position, misconduct, and tampering with evidence. Legal observers note it is rare for such a large number of police personnel from one state to face court-directed criminal proceedings in another.

Congress Sharpens Political Attack

Former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Kamal Nath, one of the most experienced legislators from Chhindwara in the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly, said the development exposed deep failures in the state's law-enforcement apparatus. 'Law and order has completely collapsed in Madhya Pradesh. The state is increasingly becoming a hub for narcotics manufacturing and trafficking. The very police force responsible for curbing this menace is itself implicated in fraudulent activities,' Nath said.

He further alleged that the BJP government had failed to dismantle drug networks and was allowing innocent people to be framed. 'This highlights the fact that the BJP government is failing to dismantle drug rackets or rein in corrupt officials. Innocent people are being framed in narcotics trafficking cases, while the actual smugglers continue to operate their illicit trade,' he said in a statement.

What Happens Next

The FIR is expected to intensify political pressure on the ruling BJP in Madhya Pradesh, with the Congress likely to raise the issue in the state legislature. The cross-state dimension — Rajasthan police acting on a Rajasthan court's order against an MP police team — adds a jurisdictional complexity that could draw scrutiny from both state governments and the judiciary.